


Open Hearts

by leavesofautumn



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Ficlet Collection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 13:51:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 15,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22945885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leavesofautumn/pseuds/leavesofautumn
Summary: A collection of Bryce/Casey shorts under 2K words.
Relationships: Bryce Lahela/Main Character (Open Heart)
Comments: 34
Kudos: 16





	1. Triplets

_Teen - Mild Language, Pregnancy, Fluff_

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“Did I seriously beat my wife to her own appointment?” Bryce asked as he peered into the small exam room.

Dr. Trihn sat on a small stool nearby, legs crossed, tablet in hand. She didn’t look up as she spoke.

“Afraid so. She texted me that she’d be running late. Something about lunch not agreeing with her.

Bryce frowned. “You know, I meant to ask you about that the last time we were in here. Because it seems like _ nothing _ is agreeing with her. The woman is sick more times than not. It’s getting hard to watch.”

Sienna simply shrugged, looking up at him. “Pregnancy is different for everyone. So long as we’re not showing any signs of weight loss I wouldn’t be too concerned.”

Bryce chewed on the inside of his cheek, leaning against the doorframe. “Yeah, about that. I think we’re having the _ opposite _problem. She seems…heavier than she should be. It’s really making her self-conscious.”

Sienna set her tablet aside and stood, reaching over to power up the equipment. “Well, there’s always the possibility of multiple births.”

Bryce shook his head. “Not likely. Twins don’t run in her family.”

“What about yours?” she asked.

He scoffed, shrugging one of his shoulders. “I uh, wouldn’t know.”

Sienna cringed, turning to look up at him, her eyebrows drawn together. “Shit, Bryce. I’m sorry. Casey told me not to mention-”

He smiled, holding up his hand. “Don’t be. It’s fine, really.”

Sienna looked like she had more to say, but was interrupted as Casey finally entered the room. Her cheeks were flushed, and she looked even paler than usual.

“I’m _ so _sorry I’m late,” she said, flustered as she turned to sit on the large beige chair in the center of the room.

“Just so long as you make it on time the day of,” Bryce teased, coming up to stand beside her as Sienna tilted her back.

He reached for her hand, treading his fingers through hers as she beamed up at him. That smile of hers was infectious, and he couldn’t help but lean down and kiss it.

“You ready for this?” she asked as he pulled away, practically bouncing with excitement. 

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he mused, watching Sienna lift Casey’s shirt to her bra-line.

She grabbed the bottle of ultrasound gel and squirted a large amount of it onto Casey’s bare skin, causing her to jump.

“_Holy shit_, that’s cold!” she exclaimed.

“Case, _ language_. There’s a child in the room,” Bryce chided.

Casey reached up and thumped his chest, the both of them laughing as he reached out a finger and touched the blue glob. Damn, she was right - that _ was _ cold.

“Dr. Lahela, don’t poke the jelly,” Sienna said, exasperated as she slid the probe against Casey’s stomach. 

He murmured an apology, wiping his finger on the side of his scrubs, then stood there, staring, as an image appeared on the monitor.

“Uh…remember that conversation we were having before Casey walked in?” Sienna asked, pointing at the screen.

All Bryce could do was nod, staring at the small grainy image as not one, not two - but _ three _ distinct blobs formed on the screen. His hand slipped from Casey’s. He had to grab the back of her chair in support in order to keep his balance.

Three.

“Bryce? Bryce, what’s wrong?” Casey asked, craning her neck to try and see what all the commotion was about. “Seriously, you’re freaking me out.”

Sienna tilted the screen towards the both of them, and Bryce watched as Casey’s face twisted, horrified. 

_ “Three?” _

Her hand flew up and Bryce took it, grimacing as she squeezed the living daylights out of him, her breathing hard. Sienna quickly came to perch on the edge of the chair, taking her other hand.

“_Relax _ mama, it’s all going to be okay,” she cooed.

“Easy for you to say!” Casey shot back, “You’re not the one who’s going to have to carry around three whole babies for nine months!”

Bryce shook his head, letting the initial shock pass over him as he turned to kneel in front of his distressed wife. He took either side of her face in his hands.

“Hey, now. Case, look at me. You can do this. _ We _ can do this.”

She shook her head adamantly. “Bryce, there’s _ three_.”

He nodded his head. “I know.”

“I only have two hands!” she said in panic, raising her arms as if to prove her point.

Bryce chuckled. “You do realize I’ll be there too, right?”

She shrugged, her eyes watering.

“See? Nothing to worry about.” He leaned down and kissed her, stroking her cheek with his thumb as he touched his forehead to hers. “You and I - we’re gonna do this together. We’re gonna be one big happy family. It’ll be an adventure, Casey. Just another one of our adventures.”

She swallowed hard. “I love you, Bryce.”

He smiled, pulling back. “I love you too, you hormonal wreck.”

Sienna printed off the image for them to take home. A few minutes later they were walking down the halls of Edenbrook together as Casey held it in her hands, her face full of tenderness as she studied it closely.

“What’re thinking about?” Bryce asked softly, looking over her shoulder.

She sniffled. “Just how lucky I am.”

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	2. Spin the Bottle

_ Teen - Alcohol, Kissing, Flirting, Fluff _

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“Okay, but what are we - twelve?” Casey asks with a laugh, walking over to a spot on the floor where all the interns have gathered, an empty wine bottle on the carpet between them.

It’s the night of their housewarming party, and although she’s just arrived, she obviously hasn’t missed out on any of their drunken shennegains.

“Don’t be a stick in the mud, Valentine. Pop a squat,” Jackie instructs.

“Riiight. No thanks."

She disappears into her room, pulling on a glittery red top and jet black jeans that she has to admit are a _ tad _ bit too revealing to be wearing in front of her coworkers. But what the hell, right? When does she ever get to look sexy these days? She’s earned a night to show off all those long hours spent in the yoga studio.

“Oh, _ damn_.”

There’s a low whistle of appreciation as she exits her room. She turns to see Bryce sitting on the edge of her kitchen table, a drink in his hand and a lazy grin on his face.

“Problem?” she asks, placing a hand on her hip.

“Just admiring the transformation is all,” he says with a dashing smile.

She arches an eyebrow. “Are you saying I looked terrible before?”

Bryce jumps off the table, crossing over to her in two long strides. He bites his lower lip as he stares down at her, offering up his cup in truce.

“No. I’m saying you look killer _ now_. Learn to take a compliment, Case.”

She grins and takes his cup, quickly downing the liquor in an attempt to catch up with the rest of the partygoers around her. As she sets it aside Bryce takes her arm in his, leading her across the living room.

“Where are we going?” she asks.

“There you are! Thanks, Bryce!” Sienna says with a broad grin, staring up at them from the floor.

God help her, they’re _ still _spinning that godforsaken bottle. She turns to Bryce, glaring.

“Fine, but if I have to play - _ you _ have to play,” she says, poking him square in the chest.

Bryce smirks. “I mean, if I _ have _ to.”

He happily stretches out on the ground, taping expectantly at the floor by his side. Casey groans, sitting beside him, looking about the circle.

Just how many people have joined in for this game? There were only handful of them before she left to get changed, and now there’s over a dozen. Some she recognizes...others she doesn’t. Maybe they should have regulated the guest list.

“Casey, go ahead and spin for me!” Elijah calls out from the far end of the circle, grinning as he holds up his beer.

She rolls her eyes playfully and spins the bottle, watching it land on a radiologist she’s almost certain is named Ashley...or maybe Ashland?

The young woman blinks, giggling as she sits up on her knees and leans over the side of Elijah’s chair, kissing him full on the lips. He whoops happily as she sits back down, fist pumping the air triumphantly as the next person goes to spin.

Around and around it goes until the game’s finally gone full circle and it’s Casey’s turn to play. She takes a deep breath, twisting the bottle, and is releaved when it lands on Jackie, because at least that’s someone she knows and not a complete stranger.

Jackie eagerly leans across Bryce's lap, grabbing the front of Casey’s top and pulling her mouth against hers. Her kiss is short but fiery, and Casey can’t help but nod, impressed as she pulls away.

Bryce notices, and pushes her shoulder aside as he reaches forward, grabbing the neck of the bottle.

“As hot as that was ladies, this...” He spins it with just enough force so that it makes one full rotation and lands back on Casey. “...will be even hotter.”

He turns and winds a hand through the back of her hair, fingers twisting tightly in her auburn locks as he bends down to capture her lips with his.

It’s not fair, really. They’ve kissed before, _ twice _ now, and he knows what she likes. Knows she’ll fall apart the minute he-

Touches the small of her back. The way he is now. A gentle press of his fingers that sends tingles of electricity straight up her spine.

They break apart as the group starts to cheer them on, various suggestive shouts calling them back to reality.

Casey blushes heavily, looking down at the floor as Jackie spins the bottle next, drawing the crowd’s attention towards herself. Bryce bumps her with his shoulder, laughter in his eyes as she turns to glare at him.

“Bryce, what the hell was that?” she hisses.

“You mean besides incredible?” he counters, giving her a subtle wink. He drops the bravado, twisting to face her as he notices her serious expression. “Fine, you want the truth? I was...kinda jealous. Can’t say I loved watching my girlfriend suck face with someone else.”

Casey blinks twice, checking to make she heard him right. “I’m sorry, your _ girlfriend?_”

Bryce laughs genuinely, tossing an arm around her shoulders. He points about the circle with his free hand. “I mean, the rules of eighth grade society are very clear, Valentine. You kiss someone_ three whole times _and that’s it - you’re officially dating.”

Casey punches his shoulder. “Fine then. I concede. You and I are dating now. Happy?”

He grins wide, much to her surprise, leaning forward to kiss her again. It’s slow and sweet, so very different from all their past kisses, and as he pulls away she notices just how joyful he looks. The way his eyes practically dance with elation.

“Ecstatic,” he says quietly, just for her, dropping his forehead down to touch hers.

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	3. Margarita

_ Teen - Alcohol, Mild Language, Flirting _

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“Casey. Casey, _ wake up_.”

Whose voice was that, and why the hell did they insist on yelling? Rolling onto her side, she peeked one eye open to see Bryce leaning over her. She groaned, burying her face in a throw pillow.

“Ugh, _ go away,_” she mumbled.

She heard him laugh. “I’m not just gonna leave you on the couch when your room is _ literally _right there. Come on. Let me help you into bed.”

She tried to sit up, only to feel her head swim. She blinked twice and flopped back down.

“Nope. This is where I die.” She gave him a half-assed salute. “Twas good knowing you, _ stud_.”

He rolled his eyes, turning towards the empty pitcher on the coffee table. “Just how much did you drink tonight?”

She raised a finger, poking him in the thigh. Damn. It was _ muscular_. She gave it a squeeze as she spoke.

“_Pft_. You should know that question doesn’t count when it comes to margaritas, considering you were once a bartender. They’re like...what? Ninety percent juice?” She waved her free hand about. “Mostly just lemons.”

He pried her wandering fingers off his thigh. “You mean_ limes_?”

She shrugged. “Eh. Tomato, _ potato_.”

“Case, that’s not the-” He took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Alright, never mind. We’re doing this my way.” 

Casey felt the room spin as Bryce scooped her up in his arms, cradling her against his chest as he carried her to her room. The swaying motion as he walked reminded her of a boat about to capsize. She felt her stomach turn.

“I’m gonna vomit _ alllll _over you,” she warned.

“Mmm, I love it when you talk dirty to me,” he said with coy smile, setting her down on the edge of her bed.

She slumped backwards, grateful for solid ground, and grinned wide as she felt Bryce begin to unbutton her jeans.

“Dr. Lahela, so _ forward_,” she teased as he pulled them off her legs.

He smirked, seemingly amused as he stood and turned towards her dresser. She watched him grab a pair of cotton shorts out from one of the drawers.

When he turned back around she was holding one of her legs straight out, throwing him a wink.

“See something you like..._ doctor_?” she asked in a slurred, sultry voice.

He bit back a grin and tossed the shorts at her. She tried to catch them but her reflexes were too slow and they struck her in the face. Defeated, she pulled them on.

Bryce sat on the edge of the mattress after she was dressed, a wicked smile on his lips as he reached down to brush her hair away from her face.

“I do _ not _ envy the hangover you’re gonna have tomorrow,” he said.

He went to stand and she found herself reaching for him. She grabbed his wrist and held on tightly.

“Stay with me?” she asked.

She wasn’t sure why she asked it. Or even what she wanted. Only that she wasn’t ready for him to go. She liked having Bryce around. Being around him made her heart do that _ thing._

He stood there a moment, contemplating something, then crossed the room and shut the door quietly before returning to the side of the bed.

“Fine. Scoot over.”

She did. She inched over just enough to allow him to lay down beside her, and watched as he propped an arm behind his head and bent one of his knees, making himself comfortable.

When he turned to look at her she was grinning.

“What’s with the face?” he asked, wary amusement in his voice.

“Just thinkin’ about all those times you’ve tried to flirt your way into my bed.” She giggled. “Tell me, is it everything you dreamed it would be?”

He shoved her shoulder playfully. “Oh, yeah. You drunk as shit and the both of us fully clothed? This is my every waking fantasy.”

She laughed, then cocked her head to the side. “Seriously, Bryce. Why the hell do you put up with me? I’m a human wreck.”

He sighed, pulling her against his chest. “Would you believe me if I said I genuinely cared about you?”

She snorted. “_Nope._”

He scoffed, his face falling. “Oh well. Can’t say I didn’t try.”

She didn’t notice his sudden change in mood. She was too busy smiling as he held her close, nuzzling her face into his shoulder. Christ. He smelled _delicious_. She brought her hand up and ran her fingers down the front of his chest, playing with the fabric of his sweater. Goddamn...it was _so_ soft. Was this cashmere, perhaps? What the hell was cashmere anyway? Come to think of it, how many times had she seen him wear this sweater?

“Hey Bryce, I have a question,” she said, yawning as sleep began to overtake her.

“Shoot.”

“Do you have any other clothes? Because I swear I’ve seen you in this _ exact same outfit _a hundred times now.”

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	4. Dirty 30

_ Teen - Suggestive Themes _

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“Well too bad,” Bryce said, reaching to take a fry off Casey’s plate, “I literally _ just _ got off the phone with Jackie. She says ‘Dirty 30’ is happening.”

“But it’s _ my _ birthday,” she argued, smacking his hand away. “Besides, as my live-in boyfriend do you _ really _want me hanging out with a bunch of strippers all night?”

He scoffed, then grinned. “You say that like I won’t be in attendance.” He held up two hands, palms face up. “Helloooo - cake? Naked men? It might as well be _ my _ birthday.”

Casey threw a fry at his head and he laughed, catching it mid-air.

“Nice try,” he said with a wink, popping it into his mouth.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine. But if you’re coming - you’re dancing. For me.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Am I now?” He drummed his fingers on the table, liking the direction this conversation was taking. “Do I at least get to pick the song?”

She nodded, looking smug. “I suppose that's only fair.”

He stood up, taking his dish and setting it in the sink. “In that case - dibs on _ Temperature_. It’s a goddamn classic.”

Casey blinked twice. “...I was joking.”

Bryce stepped around the back of her chair, dropping either of his hands to her shoulders. He squeezed them firmly, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

_ “I wasn’t.” _

_ . _

_ . _

_ . _

_ . _

_ . _


	5. Serious Discussions

_ General Audiences - Mild Language, Fluff _

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“Regina! How’s my favorite girl been lately?” Bryce asked cheerily, clapping his hands down on her shoulders.

The older woman scoffed under her breath without turning around, clicking away at her computer.

“Don’t you have someone else to annoy, Dr. Lahela?” she asked.

“Not until three,” he replied with a grin, hopping up onto the counter. He craned his neck around the nurses’ station. “Is Valentine around?”

The secretary shook her head. “Haven’t seen her since noon. Sorry, kiddo.”

Bryce picked up a stapler, passing it back and forth between his hands. “Hmm. Bummer. I wanted to ask her something.”

Regina slid a little notepad across her workspace, pushing it up against the side of his hip.

“Is that supposed to be a hint?” he asked cheekily, “You tryin’ to get rid of me?”

“Your ass is on my desk,” was all she replied, nonchalant as she reached up to re-adjust her glasses.

“Lucky desk,” Bryce said under his breath, smirking as he picked up the notepad.

He scrawled a quick note, then ripped it off and laid it across Regina’s keyboard. She sighed heavily as it brushed her fingers, finally pausing in whatever it was she was doing to pick up the scrap of paper and read it. As she did her expression thawed, becoming more relaxed, a small smile replacing her usual, deeply ingrained scowl.

“Ha! Well I’ll be...it’s about damn time,” she said, warmth flooding her voice.

Bryce could see she was fully invested now. She gave him her full, undivided attention, reaching for her coffee and taking a long sip of it before reclining back in her chair.

“You doing it tonight?”

He patted the front pocket of his scrubs. “Sure am.”

Her eyes went wide. “Wait - you have it on you? Shoot, boy - hand it over, let me see!”

Bryce chuckled at her sudden enthusiasm, fishing the little box out of his pocket and tossing it her way. She caught it, quickly prying it open, her eyes lighting up in wonder as she stared down at its contents.

“Dr. Lahela...this is beautiful!” she exclaimed, pressing a hand to her chest.

A soft smile ghosted his lips. “Yeah well, Valentine deserves beautiful things.”

His eyes fell to the closed office door nearby, his heart hammering in his chest. Regina must have noticed the far-off look on his face. 

“There’s no need to be nervous, you know,” she said gently.

Bryce scoffed. “I’m not nervous. I’m _ me_. What’s there to be nervous about?” 

Regina handed him back the box, a knowing look in her eyes.

He sighed, resigned, staring down at the ring in his hand. “I just - what if she says no? After all, we’ve only been dating for what - two years?”

Granted, they’d been..._something _ for much longer than that, but still-

“So what? Back in the day, Earnest proposed to _ me _after only three weeks.”

Bryce frowned at the mention of Regina’s late husband. “Do you miss him?”

He’d been dead several months now. Complications from a stroke nobody ever saw coming. Bryce had been careful not to crack jokes around Regina during that time, instead silently bringing her tea on his way to see Casey in the mornings and helping her sort through her paperwork stacks at the end of each day.

“Every damn day,” Regina sighed wistfully, eyes watering. She blinked away her tears, laying a comforting hand on Bryce’s knee. “Which is why I know with _ absolute _ certainty that Casey will say yes tonight. Because the way I’ve seen you look at her? Why...it’s the same way my Earnest used to look at me.”

“Suggestively?”

Regina reached forward and playfully swatted him upside the head, flicking his bangs into his eyes.

“Oh, I give up. Trying to hold a sensible conversation with you is pointless. You can’t be serious about anything,” she scolded.

“On the contrary. You’ll find I can be _ very _serious when it comes to certain things,” Bryce replied, hopping off the counter as he watched Casey round the corner.

He flashed Regina a wink, making an elaborate show of pocketing the ring box.

“For example...you see that woman over there? _ That,_ my dear Genie, is Doctor Casey Anne Valentine - and I for one am _ seriously _in love with her.”

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	6. Sunrise

_ General Audience: Fluff, Post-Canon _

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When Casey rolled over, she realized the blankets to her right were pulled back haphazardly. Blindly running a palm over the sheets, she noted they were also cold. Panic surged through her as she bolted upright, glancing about the darkened room in dismay.

"Bryce?"

She was groggy as she stood up, her head swimming as she pulled on her robe and rubbed her eyes. When she opened them she noticed a dark figure sitting out on the balcony, staring up at the night sky.

The end of September had brought about a chill in the air. She shivered as she stepped outside, pulling the silk panels of her robe tighter as she leaned against the doorframe.

After a long moment Bryce noticed her standing there. He tossed her a casual smile over his shoulder; sweet and simple, happy and carefree. The kind she loved so much.

"Hey you, what're you doing out of bed?" he asked.

She laughed, reaching for his wrist to glance at his watch.

"I should be asking  _ you _ that! It's only...6:48 in the morning - and on a Saturday!" She quickly mulled over their schedules in her foggy brain. "Neither of us work today. Why are you up so early?"

His expression softened as he reached for, wrapping an arm around her waist. He pulled her down to sit in his lap.

"Just wait for it," he said, his voice smooth like honey in her ear as he leaned forward to rest his chin on her shoulder.

She yawned, sinking back against his bare chest, basking in the warmth of his body and the tender way his fingers trailed up and down the side of her naked thigh so absentmindedly, the familiar gesture soothing and thrilling all at once.

A long moment passed and she blinked, giggling quietly.

"What are we waiting for?" she whispered, as if it were some big secret.

He rolled his eyes at her impatience, grinning as he turned and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"This."

He cocked his head to the side, gesturing towards the wide expanse of black ocean before them, and she turned her head in curiosity, too stunned to form words as the sun slowly began to rise over the horizon, bathing the water below in brilliant streaks of pink and red.

"It's beautiful..." she whispered, eyes sweeping over the landscape in front of them as it came to life.

It was like something out of a painting. She couldn't contain her joyous, childlike wonder as sparkles began to dance across the rolling waves. A wide smile broke out on her face and she laughed giddily, sitting up straighter to take it all in.

When she turned to see if Bryce was equally amazed though she realized he wasn't even watching the sunrise. Instead his gorgeous almond eyes were focused solely on her, his expression completely captivated; as smitten as it had been the very first time he'd told her he loved her.

She held her breath as he reached up, his fingertips brushing her breeze-blown hair aside.

"I'll say," he whispered, his voice a husky whisper.

He pulled her down for a kiss, his parted lips soft against hers in the lazy way that morning kisses between them always were. She melted into it, sighing contently, her heart glowing with happiness as his hand slipped overtop hers and squeezed it gently, his thumb brushing over the glimmering golden band on her fourth finger.

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	7. Leap of Faith

_ Teen - Fluff, Sensuality, Post Canon, Vacation_

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Casey peered over the side of the rocky cliff, down at the clear blue water below. It seemed endless, like it's depths could reach the center of the earth. The waterfall roared on the far sound of the oasis, white foam curling up in every direction as far as the eye could see, its spray glittering the air.

"It's beautiful," she said breathlessly.

Bryce wrapped his arms around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. He pressed a chaste kiss to the bare, lightly pink skin next to the strap of her tank top.

"Not as beautiful as you," he said quietly, squeezing her.

"You oversized dork."

She rolled her eyes, playfully pushing him away with an exaggerated groan. He staggered with a laugh, taking off his backpack and resting it against the base of a nearby tree.

She watched then, not-so-discreetly, as he pulled his shirt off and tossed it aside. The cut physique beneath that thin layer of cotton was _perfect_ \- all golden, corded sinew and prominent veins; sculpted from years of hard work and discipline she knew he was proud of.

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, "Mock all you want. But just remember, that makes you Mrs. Dork."

She glared at him, and he held up his palms in defense.

"My bad - _ Dr. _Dork. Geez."

Casey giggled, pulling him in by the belt loops on his shorts. She kissed him full on the mouth, enjoying the little sounds of pleasure that slipped so zealously from his lips in response. He tugged her ever closer as that sweet, simple moment slowly bled into two...and then three, reaching for the hem of her top. He slid it up, inch by inch, over her head.

"I love you," she said with a smile, hands trailing down his sides to settle on his warm waist.

"I love you too," he replied, taking her hand. His fingers slipped effortlessly into the spaces between hers, his wedding band brushing one of her stamped silver rings as he walked them both to the edge of the cliff.

She glanced up at him, at the wistful look in his eye as he drank in the distant horizon and the sweat gleaming on his brow from their all-day hike. He seemed so far away all of a sudden, as if lost in a memory.

"Babe?"

He snapped out of his daze, smiling down at her fondly.

"You know...I've wanted to bring you here ever since the day we met," he admitted shyly, "It's my favorite place in the world. When I was younger, it was the perfect escape, a safe haven away from it all. Somewhere I could just...let go. I try to make my way out here at least once every summer."

Casey watched as a pebble rolled over the ledge, falling weightlessly through the sky.

"Thank you...for sharing it with me," she said sincerely.

He scoffed, clearing his throat with an awkward chuckle as he blinked away tears. "Right then, on that sappy note - who's going first?"

"You're _sure_ this is safe?" she clarified.

He turned to her, cocking one eyebrow, his expression teasing. "Casey Anne Valentine-Lahela, are you _scared?"_

She chewed on her bottom lip wordlessly, averting her gaze.

"Oh, please - I've seen you jump out of an _airplane,_" he reasoned.

"Yeah, with a parachute!" she said in defense.

He brushed her windblown hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear as he tilted her face up.

"Do you honestly think I'd suggest something like this, knowing there was a chance it could hurt you?" he asked tenderly.

"No," she mumbled, staring down at the grass.

"Then let go of all that silly fear, _ku'uipo. _Come on, we'll do this the same way we do everything else."

"Together?"

"Together."

She turned back towards the overhang, her heart pounding in her chest like a runaway drum.

"On three?" he suggested.

She nodded, swallowing hard as she braced herself. "One, two...three!"

She held her breath, and he released her hand with a jovial laugh as they began to fall.

And then all over again it was that same feeling of complete and absolute freedom, of gravitational defiance that she'd felt back when they'd soared over the Boston countryside.

Perhaps this is what it felt like to fly. To be a bird, with no cares or worries beyond that of the next breeze. She could see the appeal in the adrenaline rush that sizzled all throughout her. It tingled her limbs and stole her breath away; the high euphoric - to say the least.

She kept her legs straight as she struck the water, remembering Bryce's advice, breaking the surface with the force of an arrow hitting a target. The momentum caused her to sink deep, the mystical pool engulfing her body like a welcoming, fluid blanket.

When she dared to open her eyes her soul was full to the brim with wonderment. She took in the sight of the smooth, rounded rock formations down below. Green algae and gray formations clung to them loosely, and vibrant fish swam all around her in a sea of color as she kicked her feet and surfaced once more.

Fresh air had never tasted sweeter. She took in a desperate gulp of oxygen, filling her lungs to capacity as she smiled so wide her cheeks began to ache. Above her the sun had begun it's slow, afternoon recession, peeking out in golden streaks from behind the cliff above, which now seemed miles away, as if it belonged to another world entirely.

"I did it!" she yelled to no one in particular, proud of herself.

"I knew you could," she heard Bryce say with a laugh. "Now hurry up! Follow me!"

Curious, she turned around and watched as her husband began to swim away.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"It's a surprise!"

She followed him in a large arch around the turbulent, tumbling cascade of water, which looked far more deadly up close, as if the force of its descent could push them down to the very bottom of the well with little to no effort.

There was a cavern hidden behind the waterfall, tucked away from sight. When she rounded the corner Bryce was perched upon a low ledge, beaming at her.

"Watch your step, it's slippery," he warned, extending a hand to help pull her up.

Her walking shoes felt heavy, the water in them weighing her down, but nonetheless she managed to climb up without any embarrassing or painful accidents, hand in hand with her lover as he led her deeper in the concave alcove.

Her lips parted in surprise at the faint, glowing light that suddenly appeared above them. It shimmered in bright cobalt orbs, illuminating the darkness.

"What _is_ that?" she asked softly, bewildered.

"It's a lot less romantic if I say 'bioluminescent worms', so I'll just pretend you didn't ask," Bryce said with a smirk, pulling her into a loose embrace.

"Well then, in that case, I'll just pretend they're stars," she declared airily, sinking into him.

He carefully eased them down, the slick stone floor cool as Casey settled between his legs and leaned back against his broad chest. He wrapped his arms around her, sighing contentedly.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked, tilting her face to gaze up at him.

His profile was handsome from this angle - wet hair slicked back, almond eyes shining, crystal droplets sliding down his neck. On impulse she leaned in, lazily kissing one away, the taste of salt bitter on her tongue.

She felt a shiver run through him.

"Well I might've been able to tell you, before _ that_," he said with a devious smile. He stared down at her, his eyes flickering to her lips, his expression utterly transfixed.

Enamored.

Heated.

Casey swallowed hard, feeling her pulse flutter.

"Then how about we don't talk?" she suggested quietly, reaching up to trace the curve of his jaw with the back of a single finger. "How about you just kiss me?"

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	8. Mercy

_ Mature - Angst, Infertility, **Major Character Death**_

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"Do you remember the day we met?"

Casey whispered the question under her breath, then swallowed hard as she slowly raised one shaking hand and laid it atop the one lying supine against the hospital bed linens. She threaded her fingers through her husband's, squeezing tight enough that his platinum wedding band dug into her skin. She sniffled.

"I was crying, in a supply closet. My first real patient had just coded on me minutes beforehand, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. And then you...you walked in, and suddenly - I _could_. Suddenly I didn't feel trapped, or afraid, or alone. Because suddenly, I had you."

She could still hear his voice in her head, clear as day. It echoed like a persistent flashback, like a scene from a movie; something her brain had chosen to embed into her mind, knowing she would need it later. Knowing it might comfort her. That smooth tenor, his rumbling laugh. His many words of encouragement over the years, of love and praise and adoration. She could hear it all, still, and it was her favorite sound in the whole wide world.

"...and now you have me. I'm here for you, baby. I'm here, I am, and I'm not going _ anywhere_. In sickness and in health, right? For better or worse. We took that oath. We swore to always take care of one another."

For Christ's sake, he was only forty-two. Casey cursed under her breath, tilting her head back. She tried her best to blink away the tears puddling against her lashes but quickly lost the fight. They spilled down her cheeks with unrestrained abandon, a dam bursting open; and once they began, she couldn't stop them from flowing. A deep, gnawing ache began to bloom in her chest, as if someone had taken a hold of her heart and was clenching it in their fist.

"I just...I wish I knew what you wanted. _ How _have we never discussed this? We're doctors, dammit. We know better. We know to always be prepared, just in case. But we were too busy living in the moment, weren't we? Too preoccupied with today. Tomorrow...it never seemed to matter. I guess I thought you were invincible. I thought you and I would live forever."

But people don't live forever. Immortality is a farce, and Death comes for all of us in the end. A professor of Casey's once told her that she would never truly save a life. No, that wasn't what medicine was about. Instead, as a physician it would be within her power to grant the gift of _ time._ Another couple of minutes, hours, days. Maybe even years. But everyone reaches their endpoint eventually, that pivotal moment where luck and science finally runs out on them. Sometimes due to illness, a sickness or infection that progresses faster than treatments can counterbalance it.

Yet other times...there's no reason at all. A person can simply find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Like in the middle of a crosswalk-

-as someone runs a red light.

Casey ran her hand through his bangs, brushing them aside. He looked so serene, lying back like this, completely at ease. As if he were dreaming, which was easy to imagine, to picture. Because he had always been a dreamer. Creative, innovative, out to change the world. To make it a better place, one patient at a time. He had set out so early in life - and against such impossible, unfeasible odds - to prove his worth. To make his mark. He'd once told her that he'd come from nothing, but even so, one day his name would _mean _something.

"It is selfish of me, to keep you like this? To pretend for just a few moments more that everything will be okay? That you'll wake up?"

Her knuckles traced the edge of his sharp jawline, falling to his shoulder. She slowly trailed her fingers downward. He was warm and firm beneath her touch. She caressed the length of his arm, up and down, staring at his face in hopeless desperation. At the rise and fall of his chest in time to the hiss of the nearby ventilator.

"I don't believe in miracles, Bryce. But now? Now would be a really great time for one. Please, for me, at least _ try_. Give me something - anything. Because I don't want to go home without you. I don't want to wake up tomorrow in our bed and find you missing. Don't you understand? I _need_ you. We aren't finished yet. Do you hear me? This isn't how our story is supposed to end. We still have so much left to do…"

He didn't open his eyes, no matter how much she pleaded, how hard she begged. Nor did he turn his hand over in hers as she gripped it tightly and gasped for air, struggling to keep herself upright, half-cracked and disoriented.

Two days now. That's how long she'd been awake and at his side. An immovable force, steadfast, even as the nurses pressed her to sleep, to eat, to go lie down.

Because if she left him, even for a moment, he would be all by himself.

And she didn't want that.

She was all he had in this life, and so she would be there for him...until the very end.

She brought her other hand up to the bed, carefully slipping off his wedding band. She hooked the heavy metal ring over her thumb, then clasped his hand between both of hers and brought it to her lips, kissing it gently, keeping it pressed close as she reminisced.

"You made me a better person...you did, and you brought so much joy into my life. You were a blessing, one I never knew I was waiting for. You gave me happiness, and friendship, and _ adventure._ Stability when I needed it, and faith when I had none. I've loved you, so much, in a way that has downright _ terrified _ me ever since the day we met...and I wish I'd told you that sooner. If I could go back I would tell you that _ every _ _single day_. I wouldn't waste any time, not a single second of it. There would never have been any fights. No break-ups, no stumbling. No time apart. There would have only been _ us._ You and I...and that would've been enough."

Towards the beginning of their marriage they'd wanted a family. A big one. Bryce had always had so much love in his heart, enough to go around. And they'd tried. Oh, how they'd tried for so long to make that wish a reality. But after five straight years of IVF trials Casey had been exhausted. Tired of all the tears, the sight of blood, and the seemingly endless string of losses.

He had been heartbroken the day she'd finally quit. He'd been standing in the doorway and had watched her crumble to the floor of their spare room, unable to get up, devoid of all will and the energy needed to stand.

She'd started apologizing, over and over again, for putting him through such an ordeal, for being broken. _Useless_. And in response he'd sunken to his knees beside her. He'd pulled her close, cradling her in his arms, and had rocked her back and forth.

__

He hadn't said a single word that night. Instead he'd simply held like he never _ever_ planned to let go, there in that big empty room with its mocking yellow walls...until the dawn had risen and cut through the blinds.

__

And that had been enough.

__

He had brought up adoption just last week, and it had been the first time they'd discussed the possibility of having a family in over two years. The idea had overjoyed Casey - it had made her heart _sing_, rekindling a warmth in her soul that she'd thought had long since died. She had jumped up into his arms as he'd spun her around, clinging to him as she laughed.

__

She'd only fallen silent after he'd turned to press her into the nearest strip if drywall. Her breathing had grown ragged then, a sigh on her lips as he'd kissed her with so much passion - such heated, burning resolve - that it'd felt like their very first kiss all over again.

__

How was that man - the spouse who could effortlessly carry her around the house; the surgeon who stood wrist deep and sewed together mangled, broken hearts for a living...the same one lying in the hospital bed before her, covered in an array of tubes and wires? Unable to move or even _breathe_ on his own?

__

"It isn't fair. It's not fucking fair. Not to you, not to me, and not to your patients....but it is time. I know you're gone now, that you've been gone for hours, and that this is all just for show. For closure. So I'm going to have them turn off the ventilator now, okay? I'm going to let you rest. But I'm not going anywhere, alright? I'll be right here, holding your hand the entire time. Til death do us part, yeah? Isn't that the line?"

__

The nurse in the corner of the room stepped forward and turned off the IV pumps lining the far wall. One by one Casey listened as they powered down, then watched as the young man clicked the overhead monitor and the screen went black. She closed her eyes, not wanting to watch as the endotracheal tube was removed. 

__

When she opened them again, the room had gone quiet. The nurse had stepped away silently, and it was just her and Bryce once more.

__

He looked more like himself now. Relaxed. No longer half machine. His breathing was shallow, barely visible. Casey moved her fingers to cover his pulse, feeling the faint, thready beat grow softer and softer with each passing second.

__

"I'll miss you. Every minute of every day. But you...you don't have to hang around for my sake. I'll be fine. I promise."

__

She choked out the words through her tears, half in hope and half in anguish, praying for a medical miracle. For him to speak to her in return. To squeeze her hand. To not _leave_ her.

__

Instead his heart stopped. His chest fell.

__

_"Bryce…?"_

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And she was alone.

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	9. Collision Course

_Mature - _ _ Blood, Peril, Canon Divergence, Introductions_

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Bryce could only watch in horror as a car speeding ninety down the interstate suddenly cut him off. He slammed on the brakes, putting amble space between himself and the raging sports car, only to witness it clip the corner of a blue sedan as it attempted the same maneuver a second time.

He heard the blistering screech of his own tires, smelt the burning of rubber as he skidded to a sideways halt. The convertible ahead of him spun out completely, turning a full three hundred and sixty degrees before tumbling down the dark ditch on the side of the road. It broke its way through the bushes and trees as the sedan ahead of them flipped over and landed with a sickening crunch against the opposing bank of landscape.

Bryce was frozen in place for the longest time, stunned from adrenaline and still half asleep since it was only four in the morning before he began fumbling around for his cell phone. He pulled it out of his scrub pocket, punching in the emergency hotline and relaying his location to the dispatchers before hanging up abruptly and exiting his vehicle.

He peered over the edge of the cliff just in time to see a series of sparks flicker and catch, the entire metal frame below catching fire. He closed his eyes, looking away in dismay, then took a deep breath to center himself before running over to the sedan.

He dropped his knees on the pavement, leaning down. The driver's side window had broken apart on impact, bits of glass dangling from its edges. A flash of wavy copper hair caught his eye as he glanced up through the tangle of wreckage.

"Hey - you alright in there?"

No response, only groaning. He reached into the vehicle towards the dangling arm in front of him, and breathed out a sigh of relief as he felt a pulse.

"I called nine-one-one," he assured the victim, "Help is on the way. They're gonna get you out of there."

The young woman slowly began to stir at the sound of his voice, blinking her eyes open. He couldn't see her well in the dark, especially through the thick wisps of smoke that were quickly filling her cabin.

"Who...who are you?" she asked quietly, her voice hoarse. She moved to frantically clutch at her seatbelt. "W-what happened? Why can't I feel my arm?"

Bryce reached up towards the arm in front of him, feeling the grotesque angle it was at against the roof of the car.

"I'm Bryce, and you were in an accident. I think your arm is broken, or maybe the shoulder is just dislocated. I don't know. It's hard to tell."

"How embarrassing," she muttered, her eyes fluttering shut once more. "And my leg? Is it broken too?"

Her leg? Fuck if he knew. Bryce couldn't see her leg from his side of the window. He paused, deep in thought, then laid back against the road and wedged himself just inside of the vehicle. As he did so, he realized blood was steadily dripping down from the console. He reached up blindly, feeling down her thigh. She peeked open her eyes in response, staring down at him.

"At least...take me to dinner first," she coughed out, smiling weakly.

He grinned up at her, continuing his assessment. Towards the middle of her thigh his fingers slipped through a hole in the fabric of her pants, right past skin and into the subcutaneous layer below, making her cry out in pain and alarm. He quickly withdrew his touch, pulling away from the wound, which was bleeding profusely, apologizing as he scrambled to his feet and dashed back to his car. 

His hands were covered in blood, as was his shirt, the brand new bright teal top splattered with crimson. He tried to ignore that little factoid as he popped his trunk and reached for his gym bag. His street clothes were inside of it, including his jeans and an expensive leather belt that he'd splurged on following his college graduation. He pulled the belt free and ran back to the woman, once more scooting into the crook of her broken window. He reached up, threading the head of it under her thigh. She seemed to be in and out of consciousness now.

"Tell me your name," he urged, craning his neck as he cinched the belt, trying to keep her awake.

She flinched. "It's um, Casey. Casey Valentine."

He kept tightening the belt until the bleeding slowed down, then gave it another sharp tug until it stopped completely. His eyes roamed her clothes. Scrubs, like his, only ceil blue in color. But scrubs could mean anything. Hell, his aunt's dog groomer wore scrubs.

"What is it you do for a living, Casey?"

Her smile was faint, sleepy but proud.

"I'm a doctor." She sputtered, struggling to draw in a breath. "Ironic, huh? A doctor being sick. Being injured." She squinted her eyes. "What do you do? Are you a cop? A medic?"

"Surgeon," he corrected, "Don't be fooled by all the bravado. I'm actually scared shitless down here. Totally out of my element."

"Could've fooled me. And hey, you're not alone. I'm scared too. What's more, my head is killing me." It almost looked like she was attempting to shrug. "But hey, at least you're not upside down."

Bryce laughed dryly. "I think you're in shock. You're way too at ease here, and you look really, really pale."

"I'm from Winnipeg. We're all p-pale."

He brushed off her snarky reply, pulling out his phone and turning on the flashlight. He moved it back and forth across her eyes. There was a large bruise blossoming across her left tremble, but her pupils were otherwise equal bilaterally and reactive to light. He noted subconsciously that they also resembled two brilliant, crystal clear emeralds.

"Wow," he whispered, completely entranced.

She grinned smugly, visibly shivering. "I g-get that a lot."

Sirens approached in the distance, followed quickly by the aggressive sound of boots striking asphalt. Bryce made a move to extricate himself from the wreck, only to feel a sweaty palm grip his forearm. When he looked up, Casey's eyes were pleading.

"Please don't leave me," she whimpered, her eyes tearing up.

He reached up and squeezed her hand once in reassurance before prying her fingers away.

"I'll be just outside. Don't worry."

He paced back and forth, unsettled as the street quickly became littered in multi-colored, flashing lights. The bustle of noise was deafening as people in uniform began shouting overtop of one another.

He kept glancing over his shoulder, back at Casey's car, wincing as the firefighters tore away bit by bit of the crushed metal frame with a giant tool that resembled a claw. They wouldn't let him anywhere near the site, so he made himself useful and pulled his car off to the side of the road.

By the time he was done, Casey was being loaded into an ambulance. A young medic ran over to him, slightly out of breath from exertion. Bryce had to glance up in order to meet his eyes.

"Your financée is asking for you," the man explained, gesturing towards the open back doors.

Bryce smirked, amused. "Lead the way, Superman."

He chose not to question fate and all its purposeful happenstance. Instead he let the man assist him into the truck. He sat down on the bench next to the stretcher, reaching for Casey's hand. Her neck was secured in a plastic collar and a large bore IV was dangling from her arm, tubing floating above her head. A second medic was injecting a stream of pain medication slowly into the line. He tried not to look at her other arm, its discoloration and swelling apparent even beneath a thick orange splint.

Casey squeezed his hand tightly as they began to soar down the road, her eyes hooded as the narcotics set in.

"How are you feeling, hon?" he asked gently, teasing her.

A soft smile graced Casey's split, bruised lips. "Sorry about that. I just - I didn't want to be alone."

Bryce felt a warmth spread through his chest. He threaded his bloody fingers to better lace through hers. 

"You're not alone. I've got you...and I'm not going anywhere."

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	10. Mess Makers

_Teen - Fluff, Explicit Language_

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“Really, purple?”

Casey frowned, hand hovering above her eye shadow palette as she stood in front of their bathroom mirror.

“I’m sorry - do _ you _want to do my make-up?”

Bryce smirked. "Is that a challenge?"

She held it out for him to take. "It is now. Go on - impress me.”

She shut her eyes, jumping up to sit on the counter. Bryce stared down at all the colors in his hand, suddenly unsure but not backing down from the task. He took the little brush and dipped it into one of the nicer looking shades of brown.

Dust immediately flew everywhere, and when he ran it across her closed lid his own eyes went wide at the dark, uneven streak he made. He attempted to add more powder to even it out, but that only made things worse.

He took a step back and grimaced. Holy hell, it looked as if someone had just punched her.

He bit his lip. If the other side matched it would look better...right?

_Wrong-o._

He set the palette down on the counter, reaching for the eyeliner resting next to her hip.

“Don’t go overboard,” she said with a teasing smile, “I don’t want to look like you in the seventh grade.”

“I really hate my aunt for showing you that picture,” he huffed under his breath, concentrating as he drew a line above her eyelashes.

The first one looked great, surprisingly. The other one...not so much.

“How’s it coming?” she asked, peeking one eye open.

“Patience! Geez. You can't rush art, babe."

He reached for the next product in the lineup, cocking an eyebrow. Why did she even need blush? She blushed enough on her own. He set it aside and grabbed her lipstick instead. He uncapped it and took her face in his hand.

“Come on then, show me fish lips.”

“What the fuck are-”

He squeezed her cheeks, pursing her lips. She giggled uncontrollably as he attempted and failed to color within the lines. 

“Bryce, I can _ feel _that smudging!” she said, pulling back.

He winked at her, waggling his eyebrows. “So what? In one way or another, it's going to get smudged tonight. That's a given.”

Her cheeks flushed bright pink, proving his point about the blush. He let go of her face and gestured towards the mirror.

“There! All done!”

Casey turned and wheezed so hard that she slipped off the counter. Bryce caught her in his arms just in time as she fell against him, the two of them tumbling to the floor in a tangle of limbs and laughter.

She stared down at him, then smiled deviously. "Can I do yours now?"

He scoffed, gesturing towards his face. "Like you could possibly improve upon such perfection."

Casey rolled her eyes, reaching for her lipstick. She drew a diagonal line straight across his face.

"Hey!" he protested, wiping at the sticky substance.

"What? You said it yourself - we're gonna smudge it anyways. One way, or another..."

She leaned down and kissed him to prove her point, pulling back afterwards to admire the mess they'd made.

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	11. Secrets Untold

_ Mature - Angst, Illness_

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"What is your damage, Bryce? Seriously? What was so wrong with that woman calling me your girlfriend that you felt the need to _ correct _her? I mean honestly, what am I to you? Because we sleep together, we go out on dates, but oh no! God forbid we actually put a label on things, right? Especially after two whole fucking years!"

Casey was furious. She didn't get angry often, but when she did, it was quite the sight; cheeks flushed red, eyes glossy, hands tossed in the air.

And she had every right to be upset. What Bryce was doing to her wasn't fair - in any way, shape, or form. He was indeed stringing her along, just not in the way she thought.

She deserved the truth after all this time, an explanation as to why he kept her at arm's length. Why he'd stopped asking her to stay over, why he didn't want to tell people about their relationship. But he just couldn't bring himself to voice it aloud. To confess that he was so disastrously imperfect to someone who thought the world of him.

Was he afraid of commitment? No - not in the slightest. If he could he would _ marry _ Dr. Valentine. On the spot. He would propose to her this very second and drag her to the nearest courthouse, claiming her as his bride.

But that wouldn't be fair to her. It would be a cruel and unusual punishment, especially now that his headaches were getting worse.

"Casey, please, I don't want to fight-"

"Then _ talk _to me, dammit! Let me in! Christ, I feel like I barely even know you most days!"

God, her voice. It was normally such a lovely sound to him. Spoken in quiet, flirty words as they walked down the halls of Edenbrook together, whispered in his ear in the middle of the night as they moved against one another. But at this octave it felt as though she were driving an ice pick through his skull. He clenched his teeth, biting back the pain.

"Look," he said firmly, sighing as he leaned against his kitchen counter for balance, "It's not that I don't want - _Shit_, no. What I mean to say is…"

He trailed off as a wave of nausea hit him, the taste of bile rising in the back of his throat. He stopped talking abruptly, not daring to move a single muscle until it passed. Casey rolled her eyes at his silence, folding her arms across her chest.

"Yeah?" She scoffed. "That's what I thought."

She walked straight past him, grabbing her purse off the table and slamming the door as she left.

Immediately Bryce ran to the bathroom and doubled over, burning tears in his eyes as he sank to his knees. When he could finally breathe again he stood on shaking legs and opened the cabinet above his sink, sifting through his collection of medications until he found the two he needed.

He popped a Zofran tablet first, then chased it with his nightly Procarbazine, glaring down at the bottle in his hand. He clutched it tightly before cursing under his breath and throwing it out into the hall. It struck the drywall and burst apart with a loud _ pop_, large white pills littering the carpet.

He wanted to chase after Casey, wanted to set things right. But maybe, just maybe...it was better this way. Because what would he do once he caught up to her? Tell her that he loved her, more than life itself, looking like _ this_? Like an absolute human wreck?

She would say it back too. He knew she would. He could see it in her eyes, every day, just how much she loved him.

But he couldn't give her a future.

Hell, he might not be able to give her another six months. 

And he didn't want to hurt her, to burden her. He didn't want her to have to bury a boyfriend, a spouse. To deal with the medical bills that would end up going to his next of kin. To have to make funeral arrangements. 

Yet he'd already taken things much too far...hadn't he? The two of them were inseparable, the best of friends, and lovers as well.

He'd never meant for that to happen.

Fuck - he hadn't meant to get close to _anyone_ here. He'd told her that much from the start; that he wasn't here to make friends - not with Casey nor her roommates, not his mentors or even Rafael. He was only here because Dr. Emery was here. He was in this particular residency to become the very best that he could be with what little time he had left, all the while receiving treatments under some of the best in the business.

He dragged himself into his bedroom, groaning as he flopped face first against his bedsheets. He reached for his phone, scrolling down his contacts until his thumb was hovering just above a name that downright terrified him. He clicked it, holding his breath as the dial tone rang.

_ "Dr. Lahela, you should know better than to call me at such an ungodly hour." _

Bryce swallowed hard, silent for the longest time, unable to find his voice. He ran a hand through his hair, grimacing as a few strands got caught between his fingers and easily slipped out.

_ "Huh. Normally I can't get you to shut up...are you alright?" _

He felt his eyes water. "Harper, you've seen my latest scans. Tell it to me straight - what are my odds?"

A beat of silence. _ "Sixty percent at best, if I'm the one operating. But that's just survival, kid. There are also the deficits to consider. Blindness, hearing loss, paralysis..."_

He sat up, her words fading out as he stared down at the photo on his nightstand, the one where Casey was standing behind him with her arms wrapped around his neck.

Smiling.

"I understand the risks," he said mutely, cutting the senior surgeon off, "I understand, and what's more - I don't fucking care anymore. Let's do it. I want the surgery. Dammit, I want to _ try_."

_ For her. _

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	12. Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One sentence prompt in bold lettering.

_ **EXPLICIT** \- Sexual Content, Angst, Explicit Language _

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Casey stretched out languidly beside Bryce, content and fully sated as she arched her lower back. Her body tingled all over; heart still racing, legs trembling. She felt a warm hand slide appreciatively across her ribs.

"God...what a view," Bryce whispered, his voice hoarse. "C'mere you."

She giggled as he slid her close, sweeping her lithe form underneath him once more. The weight of him was pleasant and heated as he sought out her lips in the faint filtered moonlight, his fingers tangling in her copper hair. He pulled it taunt, deepening the kiss, and she moaned with fervent abandon into the space between their shared breath.

"Again," she whispered against his mouth, squirming beneath him, "Let's go again."

She didn't have to ask him twice. He grinned, and she felt it, his calloused palm sliding up between her thighs, igniting an entirely new trail of sparks that danced upon her sensitive skin. He began to stroke her in slow circles, expert fingers delving into secret, intimate places that made her breath catch.

"My beautiful...insatiable...girl," he said between peppered kisses, eventually dropping his forehead to hers as he sped up his pace. She felt his arousal on her hip and downright _ ached _ for him. "Tell me what you want."

_ "You," _she gasped, clutching at his biceps. She dug her blunt nails into his skin and he hissed, then laughed, the sound low and melodic as he shifted, spreading her legs with his knee.

"Like this?" he asked softly, pushing up into her. They groaned in unison and he kissed her again, tenderly as he began to rock his hips.

Casey swore she saw stars as pleasure rippled through her in soothing, rolling waves. They eclipsed her vision, filling it with a comforting, white light. In moments like this, it was easy to forget the hardships of life. The pain and death that surrounded the both of them every day. The sorrow and bleakness that was medicine. No, here in the dark it was only the two of them. Only this.

Only him.

All she could smell was his cologne, crisp and clean, the scent of ocean air and underlying musk floating heavily in the air. It was as intoxicating as it was arousing, that lightly masculine aroma, and it had never failed to fully invigorate her senses. Even after he left most nights she found herself smiling, turning into the pillows he had laid upon and breathing him in, completely smitten as she fell asleep.

But then again, she was always smiling these days, and Bryce was one hundred percent to blame for that. She just couldn't help herself. Every time he spoke to her she was filled with a sense of joy that simple words alone could never even _begin_ to describe.

Honestly, it was like being sixteen all over again. Because even after two years of knowing him every little text he sent _ still _reduced her to a complete and utter puddle. At work she would always find excuses to sneak away and check her phone, seeking out an alcove to lean into as she read her messages. Sometimes they were sweet, but most of the time they were filthy, and included a time and place in the details.

They would meet up in supply closets, on-call rooms. Their cars too, which was sometimes quite the challenge. But also exciting. Thrilling. She loved that they couldn't keep their hands off one another. His touch was her most sought after addiction, and hers seemed to be his, as was apparent as he took a firm hold of her wrists and guided her hands along his body as he fucked into her so sweetly.

They took their time this go-around; tasting, feeling, pushing, pulling. Casey was sore all over, but equally soothed with every precise movement, each roaming squeeze. She never wanted this dance of theirs to end - yet when she did fall over the edge, floating through time and space, he was there to hold her strong and steady, gazing down into her eyes as if her coming undone at the seams was his very favorite sight in the universe.

He followed after, shuddering against her, their bodies hot and slick with sweat, still joined together as he brushed her hair aside and kissed her swollen lips again and again until she was dizzy with delight.

Bryce sat up on his forearms, bracing himself above her. He was grinning ear to ear, a wondrous sight, looking down at her as if she were made precious gemstones, a treasure only accessible to him. The back of his knuckles grazed up and down the length of her cheek, and his almond eyes were hooded with exhaustion but also seemed alert and attentive as they locked with hers.

It was a vulnerable feeling, to be gazed at with such ardent intensity. She felt as if he were staring straight into the depths of her very soul; she was transparent in that moment, a window blown open by a hurricane.

"What're you thinking about?" he asked in a whisper, shivering as her nails traced circles on his lower back.

She steadied one hand, reaching up with the other to cup his jaw as she spoke the honest truth. "Just how much I love you."

She didn't know what she expected him to say in return. But she definitely didn't expect his entire body to stiffen, or for his eyes to go wide. And she certainly hadn't expected him to pull away as if he'd been scalded.

The sudden loss of his body heat, of connection, was chilling. Disorienting. Casey suddenly realized how tired she was. What time was it? She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was practically morning. She sat up, wrapping herself in her sheet as she scooted to the edge of the bed where Bryce was now sitting, staring numbly at the wall.

"Hey...did I say something wrong?"

She asked the question with a light, nervous laugh, her throat tight with anxiety as she attempted to playfully tease out the words.

Bryce blinked, awkwardly pulling her comforter around himself. His hands rested against the fabric bundle in his lap as he played idly with his own fingertips, a tick of his she'd noted long ago that he did whenever he was deep in thought. He often did it in the CT room, staring up at glowing scans while he chewed his lower lip.

She placed a tentative hand on his shoulder. "Bryce, talk to me."

He scoffed, shaking his head as he shrugged off her touch. He turned to her, his eyes blurry and glossed over.

"And say _ what_, Case? What do you expect me to say to something like that?"

His voice wasn't quite right. He looked downright terrified, every layer of his unshakable outer shell broken apart in an instant - cracked and falling away. He stood up abruptly, as if he felt suffocated, and tugged on his pants.

"I don't know - say anything!" Casey shot back, bristled by his nonchalance. "Maybe stop being such a coward and admit that you have actual human feelings for once, instead of just brushing this off like you do everything else in life!"

She sounded more annoyed than she meant to, her tone more shrill than it should've come out, but that was only a reflection of the uncertainty bubbling up inside of her, of the heartbreak that was quickly setting in like dead, sunken weight in her chest.

"I do have feelings," he said dryly, "Plenty of them. Just none like _that_. And if you had just given me five fucking minutes to process the emotional _bomb _you just dropped on me, then maybe I could've found a way to word this more elegantly-"

He leaned down, caging her as he placed his hands on either side of the bed. He looked like he was about to cry, and she already was. 

"-but here's the truth Valentine, blunt and cruel as it may be - **I don't love you. I never have. I never will. **I'm sorry. Believe me, I've _ tried_. I have. For over a year now."

He took her chin in his hand roughly, but not purposely so, turning her face this way and that in the faint darkness of night, as if she were a puzzle, something he needed to figure out; solve. He sighed heavily as a tense air set in, clearly frustrated, and his touch suddenly softened. He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip.

"I think I'm broken," he whispered harshly, criticizing himself, a single tear spilling down his cheek. "Fuck, I _ must _ be. Because you are perfect, Casey. You are. You're everything to me. And I love _ this_." He gestured around them. "The laughter, the companionship, the sex. I just don't love _ you,_ and I _ don't know why. _It's like I..._can't_."

She stood up numbly, stepping up against him as he wrapped his arms around her, his hands fisted in the sheet she still held. He held her tightly, as if she were his anchor, and she found one of her hands resting on his pec just above his rapidly thundering heart.

"It's okay," she choked out, "This...this is fine. This right here, this is enough."

"Is it though?"

She swallowed hard, burying her face in the crook of his shoulder. "No. But just...just let me pretend for a minute, okay? Can you do that? Because I'm not ready to let go of you yet."

He pulled back, cupping her face in either of his large hands. "Neither am I."

He kissed her then, passionately, desperately, as if he could pull the affection she felt for him straight from her heart and sear it into his own. As if this were the very last kiss they'd ever share.

And Casey feared it was.

He pulled away all too soon, eyes red, reaching down for his shirt and pulling it over his head, fumbling for his keys as if in a trance. She reached for him, grabbing his wrist, and that seemed to snap him out of his daze. He turned to stare down at her, and when he did there was nothing short of fear in his expression, the pinpoint pupils of an obvious fight or flight response.

The face of someone who simply had no trust left in the world.

She couldn't help but wonder aloud. "Baby...what happened to you?"

That question, that simple inquiry, was all it took to extinguish the last bit of whatever light he had left inside of him. He tugged his arm back, and she let him, watching as he silently gathered his things and made his way towards the door. It was only after he'd opened it and stepped over the threshold that she followed, noticing his hesitation to leave.

"Talk to me," she pleaded once more, almost begging as fresh tears fell down her face. "Please, I'm right here. Let me in, let me help you! I'm here, Bryce. I'm standing right here...and I love you. I do. Believe that. Believe in me - in _ us._"

He turned to her, eyes narrowed, bleak. "We were fine. Just the way we were. Dammit, we were _ happy. _What was so wrong with that?"

It wasn't a question, at least - not one he seemed to want an answer to. Because after that he was gone, leaving Casey in his wake, a woman consisting of nothing more than muddled confusion and shattered spirit.

She glanced up, and realized she wasn't alone. All of her roommates were awkwardly standing in the doorways of their open rooms, faces etched with concern and empathy.

Casey shrugged one shoulder, trying not to imagine how pathetic she must look - nearly naked, crying, hair a mess. Odds are they'd heard everything. After all, her and Bryce hadn't exactly been quiet.

"I um, I think we just broke up," she explained. She took a step backwards. "But it's fine...I'm fine. Really."

She closed the door, then turned around and sunk to the floor, repeating that mantra over and over again in her head.

Yes, she was fine.

Or at the very least, she would pretend to be.

Just for tonight.

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	13. Storm

_**Mature **_\- _Post Canon, Blood/Trauma/Injury, Infertility, Hurt/Comfort, Married Fluff_

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Bryce grimaced as a particularly loud crack of lightning struck in the distance, feeling Casey flinch in his arms. He tightened his grip on her, keeping her close as he trailed his fingers up and down her bare shoulder.

"Babe, where are you earplugs?" he asked, concerned. It was now two in the morning and his wife was still shaking like a leaf, eyes wide as the storm outside their bedroom window raged on, worsening by the hour.

"I ran out. I meant to buy more, but I-"

More thunder, rumbling like an agitated beast, and then another golden burst, bright enough to illuminate the edges of their blackout curtains.

He glanced down as Casey fell silent. She squeezed her watery eyes shut, her hand flying protectively over her stomach as she curled up inwardly into a guarded position.

"God, I'm so stupid," she mumbled against his chest. "I'm twenty-nine years old and I'm scared of fucking _ rain_."

Bryce didn't like it when she chastised herself. He shifted to look down at her, running a hand through her hair to brush it aside as he moved to cup her face. His other hand fell atop the one covering her abdomen, squeezing her fingers lightly.

"It's not just rain to you," he said softly. "You and I both know that. You don't have to pretend to be brave. Not with me, Case."

Frankly, he felt it too. Fearful, every time the clouds grew dark overhead. Every time he remembered the night Aveiro had burst through the doors of Edenbrook's emergency department, shouting that he needed the trauma bay as one bloodied arm dangled lifelessly from his cot.

There had been no warning of his team's arrival, no chance to prepare. The hospital's landline coms sysyem had been damaged only moments prior, the result of a powerline severed by a fallen tree.

Casey had been driving back from visiting a friend upstate that evening when she'd hydroplaned on a flooded road, striking a guardrail head-on. Her car had crumpled upon impact, trapping and pinning her within the twisted metal wreckage as the cabin filled with water.

Someone had held Bryce back from entering the room as the resuscitation team worked on her. He couldn't recall who in his state of shock, because all he'd been able to focus on at the time had been the sound of Casey's screaming. She'd suddenly come to upon entering the building, crying out in pain, disoriented and hurt.

Alone amongst a sea of masked faces.

And Bryce...he honestly hadn't known what to do. How he could help. Fuck, he had barely been able to _breathe_, to move. It'd felt like reality as he knew it was suddenly crashing down all around him, everything coming in a rush of sound and color without any discernible shape.

Rafael had tried to console him the best he could, but there hadn't been much the young medic could say to distract from the fragrant bloodstains covering every inch of his uniform.

Not ten minutes later, Harper had barked at a group of interns to get the hell out of her way as they'd rushed Dr. Valentine into an operating theatre.

Bryce recalled his hand instinctively clasping his badge at the horrifying sight of his girlfriend sedated and intubated as they'd rolled her away. Dr. Adams had been the one to peel his shaking fingers away, unclipping the plastic card and tucking it into her pocket for safekeeping.

"No gallery. You know as well as I do that she wouldn't want you to see her like that."

Instead Bryce had been confined to the surgical waiting room all night long, pacing and trapped on the wrong side of his own world, feeling caged up like a restless zoo animal as he pictured over and over again everything that could possibly go wrong; and how he'd be helpless, utterly lost, if he were forced to simply say goodbye to Casey in the end...after all they'd been through together.

Ramsey had called her roommates, who'd arrived bleary-eyed from sleep, and together they'd kept him company until their morning shifts had finally called them away, Elijah toasing a sympathetic, half-hearted smile over his shoulder as they'd dissappeared in a blurry haze of white and ceil.

Then around ten in the morning Harper had finally sought him out, informing him that Casey was awake and asking for him. He'd been exhausted, but suddenly wide awake as he'd all but run to her.

Bryce brushed his thumb over Casey's wedding band, lost in memories he wished he could erase; the sight of her broken and bruised as he'd entered that God awful room in the ICU; the way she'd broken down and cried when Harper had come in to explain the total extent of damage they'd found during surgery.

She'd almost bled to death, impaled by a large chunk of plastic that had broken away from her dashboard as it'd burst apart. They had been able to stabilize the wound, but there had also been a major complication.

Bryce would never forget the way Casey had turned to look at him when Harper had broken the news, with something akin to _ guilt _in her eyes. It had broken his heart to pieces.

It had never been a secret that Casey had always dreamed of one day being a mother. Hell, she had cracked a joke earlier that same week about the two of them having kids someday.

Bryce had expected to feel panic at the notion; apprehension, fear. Mostly because of the way he'd grown up, and _his _family. But instead he'd found himself smiling warmly, picturing it - a small child with his girlfriend's brilliant emerald eyes and his complexion - hair wavy, mind curious. They had ended up discussing such for _ hours_, and it had been a lovely fantasy.

Now though...it would always be a fantasy.

She'd cried. They both had. But then again, he'd barely stopped crying that entire morning. Mostly out of relief, simply because she was _ alive._ And in comparison to that...nothing else seemed to matter to him. Only knowing that she was there. That she was breathing; safe and near.

_ "Marry me." _

He faintly recalled the day he'd finally popped the question, unable to wait any longer, too eager to contain his joy, his racing heart. It had been while Casey was still in rehab, working to regain strength back in the leg that had been shattered in the accident. She'd been sweaty and panting as she'd walked the small distance from a chair, across the room, and back again, looking up at him from her slumped position as if he'd grown a second head. But then she'd smiled, happy tears spilling from her eyes as he'd pulled out a ring, dropping to both knees by her side on that dingy tile floor.

"You know what - screw this."

Bryce flipped back their comforter, standing up and pulling on his discarded sweatpants. He flipped the lights on, watching as Casey blinked, mumbling something incoherent yet clearly annoyed.

"What're you doing?" she asked, groaning as she shielded her eyes.

"Distracting you," he said with a grin, reaching for his phone. "Since it's apparent neither of us are getting any sleep tonight."

It automatically connected to the bluetooth speaker on his nightstand, and the synthesized sounds of eighties' pop began to reverberate throughout the small room. Casey's face broke into a begrudgingly wide smile.

"Bryce, you _ hate _ this song," she pointed out.

"No shit, it's terrible. But it's also one of your favorites," he countered.

He crossed to her side of the bed, pulling her to her feet. She was wearing one of his athletic tops from college, which fell adorably to the tops of her thighs. He pulled her close, swaying to the beat as they danced about the room. Her arms looped his neck, her entire body relaxing as she began to lose herself in the music.

He kept one arm wrapped securely around her waist, supporting her weaker left side as they both began to sing along, laughing together. They twirled and rocked in place, carefree and playful as all thoughts of the storm outside slowly faded away.

The following track was more soulful, echoing drums and a smooth guitar rift shifting the night air all around them as Bryce pulled Casey close.

"I feel like I'm at prom," she said with a giggle, a blush on her cheeks as she stared up at him, eyes sparkling.

He slid his hands low, cupping her bottom over her satin panties. "Honestly, I'm surprised they let you in. What with your _blatant_ disregard for the dress code."

"You are literally _ so _dumb. Honestly, who allowed you to be a doctor?" She laughed, a sound that always made his heart soar with happiness. "Kiss me?"

He did as she requested, dipping her back as the song ended, every bit as dramatic as physically possible. Then he picked her up and set her on the edge of the bed, disappearing from the room. When he returned he held up a pint of ice cream and two spoons, flopping down next to her. Her face lit up at the sight.

They casually traded conversation back and forth as Casey eventually took full possession of the snack, the music in the background loud enough to block out any and all noise beyond the four surrounding walls. Bryce discussed the schematics of his surgery from earlier that day, an ablation, while Casey mused aloud over her latest medical mystery patient, the one with the purple rash that was currently in isolation.

Bryce was lying back in bed afterwards with Casey lounged sideways on his thigh when he snorted, recognition flooding him as he found himself subconsciously humming along to the music.

"Hey, I know this song. Pretty sure I lost my virginity to it," he admitted.

"You did _ not,_" she said, aghast as she listened to the subtly filthy lyrics.

"Oh yeah. David Clark. He was a _ senior. _Horrible sex...really good weed."

Casey turned to stare up at him, wide-eyed. "Bryce Lahela, you smoked pot back in the day? Pft - delinquent."

Bryce laughed, stroking her wild hair. "I know you didn't just call it _ pot_. My God, you're so painfully suburban."

"_Sorry_," she muttered mockingly.

He smirked. "Not to mention _painfully_ Canadian."

She reached up, whacking him with a pillow. He batted it aside, pouncing on her and pinning her down by the wrists.

"Hey!" she protested.

"Hey yourself," he said smoothly, stroking her satiny skin with his thumbs. "Come here often?"

Her face softened, an affectionate and flirty smile ghosting her lips.

"As a matter of fact, I _ do_," she said with a wink.

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	14. Home

** _Teen_ ** _ \- Death, Blood, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, Explict Language, Mild Sensuality, Fluff_

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"Thanks for coming, Casey. I didn't know who else to call. He just - he seemed _ really _ upset when he got home from work. I tried to ask him what was wrong, but I guess he didn't want to talk about it." Keiki took a deep breath, looking lost and frustrated. "He holed up in his room after that, and hasn't left since. I mean, maybe I'm overreacting. But he's usually not like this, you know? He's always so calm. So I guess it just scared me."

Casey sighed, glancing down at the plastic bag that had been abandoned by the door on the living room floor. Even tied off, dark red stains were still clearly visible, splattered against the bright teal fabrics inside. She reached down, picking it up and crossing the room to the closet hiding Bryce's washer and dryer.

"I'm sorry you had to see him like that," she said quietly, sliding open the metal divider. "He'll be fine. I promise. It's just...well, it's part of being a doctor. Some days are harder than others, and you know your brother…" Casey ripped open the bag, a smell like strong copper striking her nose. "...he hates to lose."

Keiki stared down at the sullied scrubs in horror as Casey poured soap on top of them and started the machine. Her voice was small as she took a timid step backwards. "You'll talk to him then? Make sure he's okay?"

Casey smiled warmly. "Of course."

She slid her purse off and set it on the nearby counter, pulling out her wallet and tossing it at the teenager.

"Why don't you use my credit card and order us some dinner? That is, unless you want your brother's terrible cooking."

Keiki blanched, cracking a tiny grin. "Ew. No thanks."

Casey waited until the young woman had disappeared into the hall with her phone before knocking on Bryce's door. There was no reply at first, and she vaguely wondered if he'd fallen asleep. She knocked again, firmer.

_ "Go away." _

Casey rolled her eyes at his annoyed tone, opening the door to find Bryce sitting on the edge of his bed, staring out the window with his shoulders hunched forward. The only light in the room came from the filtered city street below.

"She was worried about you," Casey said softly, leaning against the doorframe. "So much so that she called me."

She watched his spine stiffen in recognition of her voice, listening to the heavy sigh that left his lips as she pushed off the wall and slowly crossed the room. She sat down next to him on the bed, the mattress dipping under her weight as she placed her hand overtop of his. He wouldn't look at her, but nonetheless she could tell his eyes were bloodshot.

"Bryce...why didn't _ you _call me?" 

Bryce shrugged, looking away as if embarrassed. He cleared his throat, a mask of nonchalance clouding his features as he turned and offered her a weak, forced smile.

"I'm fine, Case. Honestly. It was just a long day. We all have them."

Casey didn't return the gesture. Instead she squeezed his fingers tightly as she felt his hand begin to tremble, shaking her head.

"Nope. You don't get to do that. Not with me."

His smile vanished in an instant. He pulled his hand away, tucking it into his lap as he stared straight ahead, slightly dazed, as if in a trance.

"Fine. The patient was Keiki's age. A trauma. Aveiro rolled them into the ER after a car wreck and Harper had me assist her in the OR." There was a thick pause that hung in the air as he gathered his words. "It should've been my first big save, but instead..."

Casey watched his eyes begin to water. He pushed off the bed and stood in front of the window, folding his arms across his chest.

"They died."

It wasn't a question.

He nodded. "Yeah. They, um - they died. I mean, we did our best. We always do. I guess it just...wasn't enough."

Bryce fell quiet, too quiet. So unlike himself, to be silent. It unnerved Casey. She stood up, cautiously wrapping her arms around his midsection, turning her cheek and pressing it to his back. He immediately began to break down at the contact, reaching down and clasping at her arm like it was the only anchor holding him to a rocky shore.

"I've never had this issue before, Case. Fuck! It's never been _ personal_. But these days, my patients, I swear - they all look like _ her. _ On the table - she's all I see. I'm serious. All I can think is _ shit, _ this is somebody's sister. This is someone's _ son_. It's all so...real now. They're people. They're not just some broken machine part or-or a puzzle for me to fix. I-"

"_Ca__re_?" Casey smiled against his shirt. "Hey now, that's not a bad thing. You're human. You're allowed to _ feel."_

"No, I'm not. Because when I let myself do that, then I'm _ this_. And I don't _ want _ to be this way. I need to focus. Hell, I'm midway through my residency. I can't let myself get distracted. Not by Keiki, not by-"

"Me?"

Bryce stalled, turning in her arms. God, his face was a mess. It looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"Listen, you need to learn to let people in. Keiki, me. We're here for you. We aren't distractions - we're your support system. We love you, and we only want what's best for you. Not to mention-"

"You love me?"

Casey blinked, backtracking her words. Her heart fluttered rapidly as she took a hold of either side of his waist, blinking away her own anxious tears.

"Yes...yes, of course I love you." She gripped him tightly. "Even if all I am to you is a _ distraction-_"

Casey nearly fell backwards at the force of Bryce's lips descending on hers. She staggered but held true, allowing him to walk her backwards until she was falling onto the bed with his comforting weight hovering overtop of her. She could barely breathe when he finally pulled away, staring down at her with wide eyes.

"You love me..."

He said it again, almost in disbelief, sounding both thrilled and terrified as he slid a hand through her hair, filtering it between his fingers.

"Yeah. I do."

He grinned wide, leaning in to kiss her again. Afterwards he pressed his forehead into her shoulder, his hand searching for hers against the quilt as he sunk down into her side and nestled close.

"I love you too." He said it quietly, laughing into her shirt as his free arm slipped around her waist. "I love you so damn much, and it downright scares the shit outta me. That's _why_ you're such a distraction, babe. You and Keiki. Because even though I never expected it, somewhere along the line you two became my family. The only real family I have left."

"You're right. We are." She reached to cup his face. "So stop shutting us out, okay? Lean on us. Let yourself breathe, baby. Just...let it out."

~})x({~

Keiki balanced the two oversized bags of take-out in either arm, waddling over to the kitchen table and plopping them down on the wobbly oak surface. She turned towards Bryce's door to knock, then hesitated, not knowing whether or not it was okay to interpret whatever it was the two doctors were doing in there.

Was Bryce okay? Had calling Casey been the right thing to do? After all, she still wasn't sure who Casey even_ was _in relation to her brother. She knew he sometimes spent the night at her place, but she never spent the night here. Although maybe that was a courtesy for her sake. Because God only knows what those two got into when she wasn't around to keep things PG.

Well, PG-13 at least. They tried their best, but they were both terrible at keeping their hands to themselves. Honestly, with Casey around her brother acted like he only had two teenage brain cells left...and the both of them were constantly horny. And what's worse was the fact that they _ thought _ they were sly.

But Keiki could live with that. It was worth turning a blind eye to, because Casey made him smile in a way no one else could. What's more, she seemed to understand him. They spoke a language all their own, and whenever she entered the room her brother's face would light up like the fourth of July, every single time, without fail.

Maybe one day she would find something like that. Once she pulled her life together, figured out who she was and how she fit into this world. She was in no rush, but it was a nice thought, a distant and hopeful dream for the future.

She chewed on her bottom lip, crossing to the hall closet and moving her brother's scrubs into the dryer. They were a bright blue-green now, almost sparkling...as if the entire afternoon were nothing more than a dream. Keiki's stomach turned over as she pressed the start button. Nope. This sealed the deal. A career in medicine was definitely _ not _ for her.

When she turned back around Casey was dragging a reluctant Bryce by the hand out of his room. Her brother looked like a ragged hot mess, as if he'd done nothing but cry for hours on end. But one pleading look from Casey and Keiki knew not to mention it. Instead she smiled, going to the kitchen to pull out three plates from the cabinet.

When she turned back around Bryce had his arms wrapped around Casey's waist, whispering something disgusting _ way _ too loudly in her ear. Keiki made a face and groaned, whacking his shoulder with the back of a plate.

"Simmer down, you two. Before I lose my appetite."

Bryce rolled his eyes, untangling himself from Casey and taking a seat. That didn't stop him from trading her a heated gaze and one of those rare smiles though. The kind that made Casey blush into her cup like _ she _was a teen.

Keiki reached for the nearest container, popping off the lid as she watched their small, silent interactions.

"So are you two...dating? Sorry if that's an awkward question. I guess I'm just curious is all."

Casey carefully concealed her expression, reaching for Bryce's hand under the table. "Well, the thing is-"

"Yeah, we're dating. Have been for almost - what? Two years now?" Bryce shrugged, nonchalant, looking up at Keiki. "Actually, I've been meaning to talk to you about that, since you know - you live here now. How would you feel about Casey moving in?"

Casey's mouth fell open, almost comedically so, as she turned to face him. "Wait, you mean it?"

Bryce gave her a goofy, lopsided grin. "Yeah...I do."

Next thing Keiki knew, Casey was throwing her arms around him, the both of their chairs nearly tumbling over from the force of her excitement. Bryce held her back in return, nuzzling into her shoulder like some weird, happy puppy.

Keiki raised her glass in the air, a mock toast as she shook her head, bemused. "Welcome home, Dr. Valentine. Pass the salt?"

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End file.
